Dalesio's Of Little Italy — Restaurant in Baltimore

Dalesio’s Italian restaurant located on Eastern Ave in Little Italy, Baltimore, Md. Great food, fantastic service, and unrivaled ambiance plus unbelievable customer care provided by the owner, Paul Oliver. To put this all in context I have to tell you about our recent experience when my wife and I traveled from northern Virginia to see Andea Bocelli at the CFG Arena in Baltimore on 2/20/24. I made a reservation for 5:45pm to make sure we had plenty of time to eat and get to the venue. Unfortunately, I didn’t take into consideration rush hour traffic in WDC and had to call the restaurant to tell Paul that we would be a half hour late. They were booked solid (because of the concert) and he said he would do his best to fit us in. When we arrived, even though the restaurant was full, he set up a table in a beautiful room and seated us within 5 minutes. We told him that we were running late for the concert and we would appreciate any help in facilitating our meal. He said he would do his best. His “best” included a top notch server, an expedited meal that wasn’t rushed (incidentally the Veal bolognese and Mushroom ravioli were exceptional choices along with great Caesar salad, outstanding garlic bread, and “real” cheese cake) and had us waiting for an uber outside the restaurant at 7:30. By 8pm, the uber driver still couldn’t get to the restaurant because of all the traffic (we were only 1.5 miles from the venue) and Paul noticed that we were still standing outside. He came out the front door and we explained our predicament. He told us to cancel the Uber and he would drive us the arena himself. We immediately resisted his offer but he insisted and we hopped in his vehicle and he fought the traffic to get us there only 15 minutes after the performance had started. On the way, we had the pleasure of listening to his history of owning the restaurant (since 1989) and quickly realized how dedicated he was to his people, the community (native Baltimore resident), the appearance (recently renovated during covid) and providing an outstanding menu. He didn’t have to mention how committed he was to customer service since we were living proof. My wife and I just couldn’t resist writing this recommendation and hopefully let people know what kind service and food to expect at Dalesio’s. We have eaten at other restaurants in Little Italy and none compare to this restaurant in quality and comfort. The tables are separated so you don’t have somebody sitting on your lap or overhearing your conversation. The interior has been recently renovated and rivals any of the best restaurants that we have visited. Yes, we were overwhelmed by Paul’s kindness but the true value was the food, waiting staff and ambiance of the establishment. Not hard to understand when you talk to the owner who is committed to satisfying his customers in any way he can. We can’t wait to go back. (P.S. Our range selected included a drink and wine...

tl;dr - superior quality Italian that won't break the bank.

Visiting here I heard Baltimore has a Little Italy and knew I had to try a place. My girlfriend decided on this place and at first I was a bit skeptical mostly because there was no other patrons when we arrived shortly after opening (perhaps not many people have time). However I was proven wrong and I was so glad about that.

The interior has a antique charm to it and is well maintained. Although the area ate in was cozy there was another area and possibly an upstairs area.

Our server had a little trouble understanding us but he was very attentive and welcoming providing excellent service.

We ordered an appetizer of lobster raviolis and shared gnocchi in marinara and chicken parmesan. The cream sauce the raviolis sat in was buttery, light and just perfect. The raviolis were nothing short of perfection as well. I could tell they were made from scratch based on the texture and consistency of the pasta. It comes with three pieces priced at $13 but was well worth it. Definitely the best lobster raviolis I've eaten outside Boston.

Possibly just as perfect as the raviolis was the gnocchi and the marinara sauce, both of which are made in-house. I could eat that sauce alone being so flavorful, light, not too sweet, and being a beautiful bright red color. A full serving costs $13 but seems like a steal to me.

The chicken parmesan was very good priced at $13. The breading was excellent and the chicken was juicy. It was served with the same marinara sauce and pasta. Had I only order this I would still be very impressed with the restaurant. As we left the owner, I presume, dressed in a plain white t-shirt and jeans personally asked us if we enjoyed the meal to which I profusely thanked him.

Overall, if you want quality Italian please make a stop to Dalesio's. I will be...

Stopped in on a quiet Saturday afternoon. Bad weather with a morning marathon meant that I was the only one there. I had been looking for a chicken parmesan for quite some time (which is a whole different story), and so I stopped by after making a quick reservation. I was only in town for a conference, and I made this my 'last meal' before I began my drive back home.

I ordered some garlic bread, the chicken parmesan, and a lava cake. All three were some of the best I ever had. I'm not exactly a food critic or gourmand (yet), but this place was genuinely impressive on just about every level that I can think of: the aesthetic, the number of tables per room, the food quality, the background music, and top-notch servers that pay close attention. Maybe this is par for the course at fancier restaurants, but of the servers I've had so far in my life, David J. was probably the best one I've had.

I was already fairly impressed with my dining experience once I had finished my chicken parmesan (and before I had even contemplated dessert), but I didn't expect a literal tray of desserts to act as the dessert menu. It might seem like an insignificant thing (and one where you're not sure how much each actually costs), but it was the first one I had ever seen. Restaurants often don't even bother with this kind of display, even when their dessert menus are equally lacking in showing customers exactly what it is they're ordering. Sure, a cheesecake is probably still a cheesecake at two different restaurants, but actually being able to see it up close while the server explains what it comes with (and offer recommendations)? More should adopt this practice.

This is the best restaurant I've ever been to, and it's a place I...